Inspired? Or outta my #*@$+% mind?

And no offense to any of you!

2012-01-18T20:22:00.000-08:00

Is it just me or is 99.99% of Blogger full of Chinese, Christians, and Stay-at-home Moms? It wouldn't take more than ten clicks of the "Next Blog" button to hit the trifecta...

Has Facebook Killed Blogging?

2012-01-18T19:42:00.000-08:00

or as the Buggles would say, Facebook Killed the Blogging Star...?

Read Any Good Books Lately?

Seven* Authors...

2012-01-17T20:04:00.000-08:00

...of Whom I've Read More Than 7 Books They've Authored**

Terry Pratchett (10.5)
John Irving (10)***
Kurt Vonnegut (9)
Douglas Adams (8)
John Steinbeck (8)
Michael Chabon (7)
Anne Rice (7)

* I didn't count the esteemed and beloved Mr. Dahl (18)
** really didn't know how to word that -- I've Read 7 or More Books By ? I've Read a Bunch o' Books They've Written ?
*** soon to be the all-time leader, his latest is sitting on the shelf, waiting patiently...

Jan 2012 update: John Irving takes over the top spot with 11, Cormac McCarthy (7), Stephen King (6), and Vonnegut (10) were all added to last year, and I can't believe I missed Elmore Leonard (9 maybe 10?) in the original count (July 2010).

Murmuration

2011-11-06T20:50:00.001-08:00

http://vimeo.com/31158841

Maybe I Was On Strike?

2011-02-18T19:50:00.000-08:00

Holy cannoli, has it really been that long since I've posted anything?

I guess I have been busy, working as close as one can get to full time, but still....

Blog O' Hilarious, "Bude!"

2010-07-05T20:25:00.000-07:00

Here's what I've been reading for the last hour instead of getting anything done... read his blog quickly now, before he's filthy rich in Hollywood and you have to pay for the privilege.

The Blog O' Cheese

Time's Best Blogs of 2010*

2010-07-05T10:38:00.000-07:00

*shouldn't it say "so far" or "the first 1/2 of..." ?

Time magazine's lists of best (and worst) blogs. I think I just missed the cut...

1 Thing My Son Puts On Waffles

2010-07-03T21:21:00.000-07:00

...That I Have Absolutely No Interest In Trying Myself:

Hummus

6 Books I'm Really Glad I've Read This Year

2010-07-03T21:18:00.000-07:00

The Wednesday Wars
The Story of Edward Sawtelle
The Book Thief
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
Travels With Charley
Freak the Mighty

4 Things I Most Frequently Eagerly Anticipate

2010-07-03T08:56:00.000-07:00

My cup of coffee in the morning. The house is quiet, boys and neighborhood dogs still asleep, the garden is cool... I actually go to sleep each night in peaceful joy knowing when I awake I get to have my coffee.
My cup of coffee and the Sunday paper.
Seeing my wife, any time, any day, morning noon or night.
Coming home. Even after a good day at work or a relaxing day at the beach, there's nothing like pulling into the driveway and being home.

Tilt-Shift Photography

2010-06-28T20:49:00.000-07:00

Very cool -- looks like a miniature, but it's not!

What did 0 say to 8?

2010-06-13T18:20:00.000-07:00

"Nice belt."

The Meatloaf Story

2010-04-08T21:06:00.000-07:00

It's from The Wife's side of the family, and comes up every time we have meatloaf or see a satellite dish: My in-laws had a huge seti-sized dish over their back wall, down in the canyon. Mother-in-law asks father-in-law, eating out in the backyard, if he would like some more meatloaf. Father-in-law says it was delicious, the best ever, loved it, but no thanks. Later, looking over the wall at the lovely canyon view, Mother-in-law spies something on the satellite dish which upon closer inspection turns out to be... Father-in-law's meatloaf, which he had "enjoyed" so much.

Stormtroopers' Day Off

2010-04-08T20:23:00.000-07:00

These are hilarious, and gotta admire the dedication -- I would have lost interest after a few weeks...

Stormtroopers 365 or Techi.com

Spring Done Sprung!

2010-04-07T20:00:00.000-07:00

(some of my succulents are still bruised and beat from the hail last month)

and ol' Eugene wanted to get in a few shots...

plus a few from Balboa Park

of course 8 x 10 prints are available, just email me your address and specify gloss or matte finish

(and include a check!)

Violence Boycott: Earthquake Edition

2010-04-05T21:30:00.000-07:00

Ok, that was the 4th quake I've felt since yesterday afternoon, and what was exciting and interesting the first time just ain't funny no more!

Violence Boycott: Easter Edition

2010-04-04T07:39:00.000-07:00

I am not a very religious person at all, not even as religious as some people think I am. I definitely count my blessings, and I am constantly amazed at the wonders and mysteries of Life, the Universe, and Everything, but as far as having the answers to anything or agreeing wholeheartedly with those who claim to have the answers, I actively run with the skeptics. I would never say you're wrong about your beliefs and faith, and I'm not in the "Oh yeah, then prove it" camp, it's more along the lines of we'll all eventually find out, one way or another, so let's enjoy and appreciate what we have in the here and now (and that includes faith and religion).

Getting to the point, I've never been a big Easter fan. Love Palm Sunday, riding in on the donkey amidst adoring fans, the Beatitudes, water into wine*... The poignant, heart wrenching discussions with Pilate, disciples, and the Father, taking the ultimate step... Love the empty tomb, the incredulous disciples ( What?!? You mean he did what he said he was gonna do even though we were thick-headed and couldn't follow his metaphors? Again?!?! ) and then walking along the country road with the dudes before heading up to prepare my mansion -- great stuff.

But the whole fixation on the suffering, the pain, the blood, the torture... nope, not my cup. It's not being squeamish, I understand that horrific drama may be necessary to get a serious point across (i.e. Toni Morrison's Beloved) but I've heard pastors talk in detail about the agony and physical effects of crucifixion every sermon for a month of Sundays, as the saying goes, and Christmas pageants turned into Passion plays. I understand the tradition behind the recreations, walking in His footsteps and realistically portraying the sacrifice required, but does Family Night at the Movies need to show Mel Gibson's Jesus movie at 5, 7, and 9:00 ("All His Blood and Gore Now in High Def!") ?

All I'm saying is, for me and mine, let's focus on the up, on the rebirth and renewal, on the hope. Let's be aware of the good, the amazement, the potential that Easter and Spring and Faith can provide us. We reminisce about our ancestors by telling stories of beans in a nose, meatloaf on the satellite dish, and orphans running the streets with Babe Ruth, not constantly discussing the way they died. We honor our heroes with ceremonies solemn and severe, but then we revel in their deeds and their lives get larger in the telling, not their deaths. We treasure the births of our children, their first words and steps, the classroom achievements and playground victories, and we retell those stories and every graduation, wedding, and even funeral because that is how we want to remember our loved ones and our lives shared with them, because that is how we want to carry them forward with us, whether they are physically near us or not. We want to treasure the hope of the first baby steps, the victory of young adults venturing out into the world, the satisfaction of grandchildren. We should not wallow in the pain and sacrifice it took to create the joy, but delightfully and jubilantly celebrate the joy itself.

*I confess, I may have some of the details/timeline mixed up, didn't do much fact checking. I think I got the gist of the events.

Home Decorating with Sharpies

2010-04-03T19:35:00.000-07:00

very cool... did his mom yell at him for writing on the walls?
And is that R2D2 in the corner?

Violence Boycott: Day 1

2010-04-02T09:56:00.000-07:00

Just like drying off from the baptism while making out with the pastor's daughter, it didn't take me long to backslide and break my vow of anti-violence purity. Although to be fair, it wasn't a solemn vow or anything, just an ideal to aspire to... ok, ok, so I'm a hypocrite. But I had to watch Lost, especially this close to the dramatic/traumatic ending of the series. I have several years of confused viewing invested in this show, and a few more episodes of the smoke monster tossing airplanes full of people around the jungle won't ~~kill~~ ~~hurt~~ cause me discomfort...

So just what did I give up in my quest to be violence-free?

I stopped reading Stephen King's Gunslinger. I've read a couple of graphic novels based on it, liked the mythology and the weirdness, but before the book was 1/4 way through the "hero" had shot down an entire town of men, women, and children. Close book, return to Library unfinished.

I deleted The Killers from my daily playlist, but couldn't bring myself to delete them completely -- after all, "Mr. Brightside" "When You Were Young" and "Dustland Fairytale" sound like very anti-violence song titles ("Don't Shoot Me Santa"... not so much) -- absolutely definitely deleted my lone Marilyn Manson track, mainly on the grounds of his looks. Ug.

Other than that, Day 1 had no other ~~clashes~~ encounters with violence. Spent the day with the boys at Legoland (don't waste your time/money on the new aquarium) and then read a few Beverly Cleary books. I already feel a bit more peace-filled. (deep, contented sigh)

Death to Violence!

2010-03-30T20:32:00.000-07:00

Editor's Warning: This post will meander in an aimless, disjointed, almost incoherent fashion.

I'm giving up violence.

I'm not a big Three Stooges fan, never have been really. Maybe they were funny, but I didn't get the point and/or entertainment value with all the poking and bashing and gouging. Never have really enjoyed professional wrestling either, and I could do without horror films. Maybe reading The Exorcist under the covers when I was 14 scared and scarred me enough. I love my rock 'n roll, but would never buy an Iron Maiden or Marilyn Manson album.

The point is, I have seen/heard/read about more than enough violence in my life, and I want it to stop. I'm not naive enough to think it will stop, violence is a fact of life and an ever present element of our American culture. Violence dominates the real world as well as almost every "escape" from the real world, from music to cartoons to fashion to religion. Is it even possible to be free from the endless barrage of violence?

I want to try.

Several factors have inspired this... exercise? quest? misguided and ill fated attempt to turn my sons into anti-war pacifists? There is the couple here in SoCal eating on $1 a day and an article in Time magazine about deprivation experiments (and the blogs they are chronicled in), plus my own recent attempts to lose some middle-age poundage by not eating bread for a month and giving up cereal (I was up to a 2 bowl per morning habit, not to mention weekends and late night Capt Crunch). Then there was the combination* of the movie 2012 and Stephen King's Gunslinger stories which involved me in approximately 6 billion deaths in a matter of one evening. My cup, as the saying goes, runneth over -- and then some.

So what do I do now?

I'm going to try an avoid, eliminate, and not participate in anything containing or implying violence of any sort. This immediately poses ~~threats~~ a dilemma in regards to my weekly television viewing: Lost (the final episodes!) and Flash Forward, not to mention the ESPN and the NFL Network .** My sons and I are reading a children's book, Freak the Mighty, which involves bullies and threats (so far) -- does it get re-shelved? Netflix just sent us Area 51 -- any aliens get shot at in there? Does shooting at aliens, or even asteroids, count as violence?

We'll see how this goes...

*I was going to say "lethal combination" -- violence is prevalent in everyday speech.
**Reconciling the football coach part of me with the No Violence Quest will be a subject to explore another day.

Post Secret Future Messages

2010-03-24T21:44:00.000-07:00

This is hilarious... gotta try it some day!

Owl Cam

2010-03-18T19:55:00.000-07:00

watch owl eggs hatch live! and watch mama owl eat a mouse. Beware of the commentators, use full screen to avoid their potty mouths...

Mental Floss

2010-03-03T20:06:00.000-08:00

The Amazing Fact Generator !-- get smarter, amaze your friends, impress your boss, win at Trivial Pursuit!*

*does anyone still play Trivial Pursuit?

The "Eephus" Pitch

2010-02-22T21:34:00.000-08:00

Is Tiger "Entitled"? Of course he is!

2010-02-20T10:07:00.000-08:00

I would think Tiger Woods has enough money -- almost inconceivable amounts that will allow his great-grandchildren to be ridiculously financially secure -- to go with the hubris, ego, selfish, cocky self-centered attitude and mind-set of the alpha male professional athlete* to be able to have the first truly honest public figure after-scandal press conference:

"I am a professional golfer. I will only answers questions that pertain to the sport of golf and my ability to perform in my chosen profession. My private life is none of your business. My family life, my personal actions, my religious beliefs, and my political opinions are absolutely no one's business, unless I make the personal choice to share such aspects of my private life with the general public. I will not now nor ever answer any questions regarding my personal life with members of the media. Thank you."

I can understand kowtowing for the paychecks when you're at the bottom of the ladder and trying to struggle your way up, but Tiger personifies "at the top of his game" -- he is one of the most recognizable entities in the entire world, what more could he gain by subjecting himself (and his family) to more public humiliation?

I wonder how many other top athletes or cultural/political/financial figures wish someone like Tiger Woods would stand up and put an end to this bizarre cycle of crime and public embarrassment, these tawdry displays of tears splashing on dozens of microphones?

*all desirable and necessary attributes if you want to reach his level of success. I know I want my star players to act just like this. Is there a "great" anything or anybody that does not personify these characteristics?

90's Top Ten

2010-02-05T21:40:00.000-08:00

Best of the 90's Top Ten:

Around the Way Girl, LL Cool J
Losing My Religion, R.E.M.
Free Fallin', Tom Petty
Candy, Iggy Pop & Kate Pierson
Take Me With You (When You Go), The Jayhawks
Creep, Radiohead
When I Come Around, Green Day
Streets of Philadelphia, Bruce Springsteen
Come As You Are, Nirvana
Where It's At, Beck
Everlong, Foo Fighters

final cuts included "Brick" by Ben Folds Five, "Runaway Train" Soul Asylum, "Hey Jealousy" Gin Blossoms, "It Ain't Over..." Lenny Kravitz, "My Hero" and "Learning To Fly" Foo Fighters, with special mention for Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's "Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World" for not only a cool song but in memory of Dr. Greene.

Guilty Pleasure Confession

2010-02-04T20:50:00.000-08:00

No, not the very nearly entire package of Oreos I ate last night, that just made my tummy hurt,
but MMMBop by Hanson...

But as for a more adult, higher quality, less embarrassing music recommendation, courtesy of Paste magazine and this cool blog: James Maddock's "Sunrise On Avenue C" -- singer/songwriter piano-fueled gravel-voice pop, definitely deserves a listen!

Rainy Days = Reading Daze

2010-01-26T21:10:00.000-08:00

update upon the completion of You Shall Know Our Velocity

Actually, it's Rainy Days + no desire to watch football since the Chargers tanked it in the playoffs and crushed my Super Bowl hopes = lots of time for Reading...

my reading view, if the cat isn't crushing my chest

Five Stars: The Story of Edward Sawtelle -- picked it up several times in bookstores over the past year but something else always won out; my loss because I really enjoyed it all the way through (although I wouldn't have minded a happier ending). Now I must reread Hamlet, and get a dog.

3 Stars: Road Dogs by Elmore Leonard, starring George Clooney/Jack Foley -- Leonard is one of my guilty pleasures grab a book from the Library shelf and devour it in an afternoon reads, and while this one had moments it wasn't his best. Kind of a weird, boring ending.

East, West -- short stories by Salman Rushdie

You Shall Know Our Velocity -- still working on this one, and appreciating every page; Dave Eggers is one of my favorites and he's breaking my heart.

Okay, finished it last night, 4 Stars, and while I need to re-read the last few pages (is he better or worse? alive or dead?) I definitely put it in the "you should read this" category. Although not so soon after reading The Mystic Art of Erasing All Signs of Death -- similar theme of young lives lost tragically and horribly -- and the spate of zombie books I've picked up lately. Now I need something carefree and crime-free, humor and sex and not at all realistic...

I've also kicked off twenty-ten with a few good children's books , especially recommend The Girl Who Could Fly ...

my other reading view, but it's been too c-c-cold (down to the 50's!) and we even got some hail, something the boys had never seen before. I saved some in the freezer for them...

Also picked up a few good CDs: Randy Newman's "The Best Of...", Silversun Pickups "Carnavas", the "Reality Bites" soundtrack, Morphine's "Cure For Pain" and the Hope For Haiti Now benefit album....

U.S. Presidents vs. The Super Bowls

2010-01-26T19:37:00.000-08:00

Pitting the Presidents against the Super Bowls, leading up to this season's confluence: SBXXXXIV vs. Prez #44

funny, yet informative.

not sure "confluence' is the correct word...?

Best Songs -- Wild Card Weekend

2010-01-10T17:10:00.000-08:00

1st round of "Best o' the Nineties Playoffs" losers include Take #52/John Doe, Don't Rock the Jukebox/Alam Jackson, Crying Game/Boy George, Daughter/Pearl Jam, All I Wanna Do/Sheryl Crow, Man in the Mirror/MJ, Last Goodbye/Jeff Buckley...

bounced in 2nd round: Cool Like That/Digable Planets, Plush/STP, Only Wanna Be With You/Hootie etc, Bittersweet Symphony/Verve, Velvet Glove/RHChili Pepps...

R.I.P. Gumby & Pokey

2010-01-09T19:57:00.000-08:00

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/herocomplex/2010/01/art-clokey-the-creator-of-the-whimsical-clay-figure-gumby-died-in-his-sleep-friday-at-his-home-in-los-osos-calif-after-b.html

includes a few cool Gumby videos too

Best of the Decade(s) -- the Nineties

2010-01-02T19:11:00.000-08:00

research for my Best of 90's list led me to this awesome post -- I was never that into videos, much rather be doing something else while listening to music, certainly not staring at the TV, but these are cool visuals to go with some great songs.

Locks for the 90's top 10 off the top of my head? Hmmm... Achy Breaky Heart, Mmmbop, Still I Rise, Interstate Love Song, Bittersweet Symphony, U can't Touch This ???

Even Flow, Nearly Lost You, The Humpty Dance, Black Velvet, Banned in the USA ???

1980's Top 10

2010-01-02T18:09:00.000-08:00

1st round of cuts: Missing You, John Waite; Breakup Song, Greg Kihn; Sunglasses At Night, Corey Heart; Still of the Night, Whitesnake; Everyday Is Like Sunday, Morrisey...

2nd round: I Still haven't Found What I'm Looking For, U2; Love My Way, Psychedelic Furs; In Your Eyes, Peter Gabriel; Everybody Wants To Rule The World, Tears For Fears...

Final Results:

Back In Black -- AC/DC
I Melt With You -- Modern English
Radio Free Europe -- R.E.M.
Purple Rain -- Prince
Rock You Like A Hurricane -- Scorpions
Bad -- U2
Guitars, Cadillacs -- Dwight Yoakam
Higher Love -- Steve Winwood
Can't Hardly Wait -- The Replacements
Where The Streets Have No Name -- U2

ok, on to the 90's! Any suggestions?

Call me "Len" in 2010!

2010-01-01T08:20:00.000-08:00

(Hmmm... weak. First Resolution is to come up with a better rhyme for "ten" and a catchier, more affirming motto.)

Starting the new year just like the old year began (and ended) -- not much more than a trip to Vons in the bank account and looking for work. Dishes in the sink, newspaper tossed under the neighbor's car, family sleeping in, Emmylou Harris in my headphones, devising ways to knock off 10 lbs... and I wouldn't trade it for the world. Well, except for the job part, I'd really like one.

Happy NewYear!

2009-12-28T16:46:00.000-08:00

Taking a break from the 80's with a few new discs: Paul Weller's As Is Now, Neil Young's Prairie Wind, Elvis & Crew strumming and goofing on The Complete Million Dollar Quartet; some new books: World War Z, Dave Eggers' 2009 NonRequired Reading; and some hot buttered rum...

Best of the Dec80s (get it? " Decade" + "1980's " ?)

2009-12-26T16:05:00.000-08:00

Ok, on to the 80's! My "expansion" decade, ages 14 - 23, of not only music but life in general -- girls, paychecks, cars, alcohol, even a touch of higher education. Heck, I think I even got married at some point during the decade...

New Wave/Alternative, New Traditionalist, Christian Rock, Live Aid and Do They Know It's Christmas?, mix tapes and The Monsters of Rock tour...

U2, The Replacements, Elvis Costello, Hoodoo Gurus, Tom Petty, Van Morrison, Police, Waterboys, BoDeans, X, Prince, R.E.M., R.E.M., R.E.M. !

Charlie Peacock, Keith Green, Petra (no, not Stryper), 77s, Altar Boys...

Dwight Yoakam, George Strait, Randy Travis, Steve Earle, Lyle Lovett, Keith Whitley, Willie & Waylon...

day 2 of 80's quest: I'm noticing songs from my All-Time Album list don't always make the Song of the Decade list, and not all my favorite can't-live-without songs from just 11+ months ago have been included either... the 80's of course begot the compact disc and my first sound system, a 4 ft high stacked Panasonic system in a lovely faux-wood cabinet; cost me $1100 (which I always remember since my first truck a few months later was $11,000)... seriously debated for days what the inaugural disc would be -- Beatles or U2? Joshua Tree won the battle... fed up with commercials after every couple of songs leads to country stations that play "12 in row!" and a crush on Wynonna Judd... a crush on a blonde leads to roadtrips to the Coliseum for U2 and the Monsters of Rock tour... not sure exactly when I "discovered" Van Morrison but must have been towards the end of the decade...

Albums listened to the most in the 1980's:

Tunnel of Love, Springsteen
Joshua Tree and Rattle and Hum, U2
Pleased to Meet Me, Replacements
Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. and Buenos Noches From a Lonely Room, Dwight Yoakam
Reckoning and Document, R.E.M.
Purple Rain, Prince & The Revolution
So, Peter Gabriel
1984, Van Halen
Back in Black, AC/DC (daily in 1980 on cassette+boombox)
The Lexicon of Love, ABC
Rain on the Scarecrow, J C Mellencamp
Introducing the Hardline..., Terence Trent D'Arby
The Best Of..., Elvis Costello & The Attractions
In My Tribe, 10,000 Maniacs
Pontiac, Lyle Lovett
Songs From The Big Chair, Tears For Fears
Full Moon Fever, Tom Petty
Graceland, Paul Simon
See How Are We Are, X
Storms of Life, Randy Travis
Why Not Me, The Judds

did I miss anything?

Best of the Decade(s) -- 1970's

2009-12-21T09:24:00.000-08:00

The 70's -- reggae, rock, disco, Captain & Tennille; Elton, Led Zep, Boston, Barry White and Al Green; "Grease" "Saturday Night Fever" and "Thank God It's Friday"; Clapton is God, Springsteen's The Boss, and introducing The Clash and Elvis Costello...

Update: This is a decidedly more mellow (and quieter) list than I would have made at age 13, which has now depressed me since doing the math reveals 30 years have gone by since I began listening to music. Dang, I'm gettin' old. Fortunately my dad was the station manager for American Forces Radio in Europe, so I was able to escape his Barry Manilow LPs by exploring the world of 70's Top 40 radio, although I do confess one of the first albums my friend had that we played repeatedly was Shaun Cassidy's debut with the classic "Da Doo Run Run" (I couldn't even hum it now if I tried), and the Star Wars soundtrack. The DJs used to make mix tapes for me, or I would sit right up close to the radio, fingers on the Play and Record buttons to record the song the second they stopped talking or before it faded into the next tune.

While I'm dialing down memory lane... first cassettes, received for 10th birthday with the tape player -- ABBA, Stevie Wonder, and Elton John's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road; first album purchased with my allowance -- either Earth Wind & Fire's Greatest Hits or The Commodores Greatest; introduction to both the Beatles (was it KPRI that did the "Beatles A to Z" weekends? I taped those too) and Bee Gees -- Uncle Fred's scene-by-scene reenactment of the Sgt. Pepper's movie; the funky phase -- one of very few white boys trying to make the football team and introduced to Bootsy's Parliament, LTD, Con Funk Shun; finding 91X and KGB and the record collections of friends' older siblings (Hendrix! Zeppelin! Joplin, CSN&Y, Grateful Dead, Pink Floyd!); the end of the 70's era (musically just temporarily, smoking out more or less permanently) for me comes in 1983 as a girlfriend sends me U2's War...

Which means it's time to put this edition of Best of The Decade to rest:

What's Going On, Marvin Gaye
Rocket Man, Elton John
Papa Was A Rolling Stone, Temptations
Knockin' On Heaven's Door, Dylan/Clapton
Brown Eyed Girl, Van Morrison
Born To Run, Springsteen
Night Moves, Bob Seger
Play That Funky Music, Wild Cherry
Miss You, Stones
Here Comes My Girl, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

1960's Top 10

2009-12-21T08:24:00.000-08:00

Love Me Do, The Beatles (62)
Ticket To Ride, The Beatles (64)
Subterranean Homesick Blues, Dylan (65)
Tired Of Waiting For You, The Kinks (65)
Good Vibrations, Beach Boys (66)
Monday, Monday, The Mamas & The Papas (66)
Respect, Aretha Franklin (67)
Son Of A Preacher Man, Dusty Springfield (68)
(Sittin' On The) Dock Of The Bay, Otis Redding (68)
You Can't Always Get..., Rolling Stones (69)

I think even a "top 100" list would mean chopping off some great songs...

Best of the Decade(s) -- the 60's

2009-12-17T21:45:00.000-08:00

Hmmm... the 1960's are turning out to be much tougher than the 50's. A few that didn't make the cut: "It's Not Unusual", "Stop in the name of love", "My Generation" "Hard to handle" and "Good Vibrations"...

2 days under the headphones later... Narrowed it down to about 24 songs, hard to not let Beatles/Dylan/Stones dominate. And which "Respect" -- Aretha or Otis?

Best of the Decade(s)

2009-12-16T22:19:00.000-08:00

In order to warm up before deciding on the best songs and albums of 2009, and to give "shuffle" time to cycle through the 2000s playlist, I went back a few decades:

The 1950s

"Bo Diddley" by Bo Diddley
"Fever" by Peggy Lee
"(Get Your Kicks On) Route 66" Nat King Cole
"Great Balls of Fire" Jerry Lee Lewis
"Johnny B. Goode" Chuck Berry
"Lonely Teardrops" Jackie Wilson
"(We're Gonna) Rock Around the Clock" Bill Haley & His Comets
"That's All Right"* Elvis Presley
"What's I Say" Ray Charles
"You Send Me" Sam Cooke

*or is it "Alright"?

Songs are listed by year; no complicated formulas, sales figures, or critical/historical evaluation other than do i like it and will I continue to play the song? Lists are in no way set in concrete, so if I forgot a tune that must be considered, let me know!

Ok, on to the '60s...

hello? hello? Is this thing on?

2009-12-16T21:42:00.000-08:00

Daaaang... haven't done any blogging in a long time. Football season, as in coaching 2 sons' teams, substitute teaching, and general laziness -- surprised it hasn't gone to "inactive" status.

Anyway, had to stop by to change comment settings, looks like I'm a leading advertiser for Dr. Hu's marital aids.

Ok, now back to research and debate on 2009's top albums and songs -- any suggestions?

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, A Shopping List

2009-11-03T21:11:00.000-08:00

I love playlists. I spend hours (yes "spend" not "waste") creating playlists on iTunes, Napster, or my latest toy last.fm: 1960's soul ballads, disco cover tunes, songs by people named Doug, albums that mention birds... whatever ties at least 2 tunes together gets a catchy sometimes cryptic title and becomes -- voila! -- a playlist. I may never listen to the playlist again, but that's not the point.

So working on a Rock n Roll Museum inductee playlist, and realizing there are gaps in my collection: so far, no Animals, Booker T & the MGs, Doors, or Everly Brothers...

no Woody Guthrie, no Buddy Guy...

one song from Hot Buttered "Chef"? No Herb Alpert (and his Tijuana Brass Band, of course)...

not a single Joni Mitchell? No Moonglows? Ok, I didn't really expect to have any Moonglows.

Isley Bros? Ink Spots? Robert Johnson? Brenda Lee?

Nuggets

2009-10-14T10:24:00.000-07:00

No, not of the pressed chicken variety. The garage band, 60's psychedelic, hint of surf guitar, touch of New Wave (but not slick and sissy), bit of punk (with more melody) songs that make you go "Hey! I remember that tune!"-- that type of nugget...

Worth the price of admission just for the band names: The Spongetones, The Unclaimed, Laika and the Cosmonauts, The Dukes of Stratosphear, Vibrasonic, The Droogs, The Hoodoo Gurus, The Optic Nerve, The Aardvarks, and of course The Cramps -- it goes on and on!

10 minutes later...

Ever notice certain music and books do not go well together? Sat down to listen and catch up on some reading, but starting with Elmore Leonard's Tishomingo Blues (Blues or Civil War marches) my words and tunes were clashing. Tried Griffin & Sabine but that needs something softer, maybe jazz maybe French? then attempted John Wooden's On Leadership but that definitely clashed with The Fuzztones and The Creeps...

Monsters of Arctic Avett Rockets

2009-09-27T21:48:00.000-07:00

I constantly rip out and save album review pages from magazines and newspapers in a feeble attempt to keep musically current; while most of my 1st - 5th grade students haven't progressed beyond cartoon theme ditties or radio pop, my 15 yr old son and the players on my football team constantly refer to acts and tunes I can't even fake my way to knowing. Of course I never look at the "What's Next" and "Who's Hot" articles until it's too late and they're hopelessly outdated, but once in awhile, such as a while like tonight, I plug all the names into Napster and give it all a listen...

Arctic Monkeys: tracks from Crying Lightning and Humbug... (on a scale of 1 to 10 as to whether I would listen to them again*) 7
Monsters of Folk: Monsters of Folk -- 8
The Bravery: "Slow Poison" ...wow, very 80's -- 6
Three Days Grace: Life Starts Now... only allowed 30 second snippits, but heard the word "vampire" multiple times -- 4
Freddy Fender: The Legend of Freddy Fender ...not usually a fan of live albums, but love the Fender -- 6
Mason Jennings: Blood of Man ...a bit Warren Zevon-ish, eh? -- 8.5 (and gaining points every time a song comes up in the rotation)
Alicia Keys: "Doesn't Mean Anything" all pop, sweet but no sass, no funk -- 5
Karen O. and The Kids: "All Is Love" from the Where The Wild Things Are soundtrack ...quirky, cool, the anti-bland Disney pop -- 7
Avett Brothers:
Boys Like Girls:
The Bottle Rockets:
Brandi Carlile:

* 1 being "Dang, can't even listen to 20 seconds of that" up to "Who needs coffee, hit the button and buy that song immediately!"

2009-08-23T13:48:00.000-07:00

Lazy Sunday afternoon, working on the resume while the fam is out at the pool...

today's 1st 10 on shuffle:

The Ballad of Jenny Rae, The BoDeans
What'd I Say, Elvis Presley
Got To Get You Into My Life, The Beatles
Stone And Steel, King Wilkie
Different When It Comes To You, Bruce Cockburn
Passion's Killing Floor, HIM
Rocky Mountain Way, Joe Walsh
Georgia On My Mind, Ray Charles
Breakout, Foo Fighters
Jack And Diane, John Mellencamp

Hmmm, sounds a bit old school today...

Summer Reading, part deux

2009-08-15T09:43:00.000-07:00

Okay, obviously this whole "balanced layout" thing escapes me...

The top photo is a Library's parking garage in some city I have forgotten; the rest are books I've gotten through in the past month in addition to some children's books and a (thankfully) short novel called Art Kills that was so awful I don't want to talk about it.

Hemingway, it goes without saying but I will anyway, is the epitome of Classic
LT & Me is the usual sports-mom rise through adversity to superstar success, but still a wonderful portrait of how a son can be brought up in this rough world to be an outstanding young man; he had the right role model (Walter Payton) and even without his prodigy-like attachment/determination to play football it seems he would turn out okay no matter what he chose to do with his life.
Geek Love -- weird, bizarre, a tad disturbing... and a quality, original read, for the most part. "Created" circus freaks developed as deep, whole people, although the parents disappointingly stagnate and fade from the story and the ending is weak, as in what, that's it?
Arsonist's Guide... was picked off the shelf due to its title; strange, funny, sad, shallow, full of too many rhetorical questions (paragraphs full of 'em!), but an entertaining beach read...
Pirates! Ah, the Pirate Captain and his luxuriant beard, plus Napoleon -- doesn't get much better than that. Hilarious, witty, historically inaccurate, and I highly recommend the entire series (this is the 4th or one of hundreds, depending on which jacket blurb you read)...

Les Paul (1915-2009) : Rolling Stone

2009-08-14T14:30:00.000-07:00

Les Paul (1915-2009) : Rolling Stone

1000 Important Things To Teach My Sons

2009-07-13T11:30:00.000-07:00

1000 Important Things To Teach My Sons Before They...*

I saw this idea in the past week, just glanced at it quickly on the back page of a magazine or somewhere, but it's been surfacing quite often in my brain, probably every time I've talked to my boys. I am in the fatherly habit of imparting words of wisdom, nuggets of good sense that I know they are treasuring in their hearts and minds. In the odd occasion that they might forget or misinterpret my sage advice after I toss them out into the wide world to fend for themselves, I plan to give them each several copies of the following list, framed or on t-shirts, of the top one thousand adages, quotes, helpful hints, admonitions, suggestions, and just plain good ol' common sense that will help them find the path to a rewarding, productive, and relatively hassle and stress-free life (such as don't write convoluted, run-on sentences).

I am, as always, open to suggestions. Which conveniently is also a good suggestion (see #4 below). What tenets do you live your life by? Mottos, slogans, rules? What did you learn while growing up that has served you well? What are you teaching your children? I know it's not good to copy other's work (#5!) but it is good to learn from others' experience and knowledge (#6).

*= ...Before They Turn 18? ...Grow Up and Move Out? ...Have Children of Their Own?

I don't really have anything for the list yet. I have slightly less than 3 years before Son #1 turns 18, so I figure that gives me plenty of time to compile, organize, and laminate. My big 3 now, the answers to 99.9% of any situation or issue I've run across in my years as a Dad are as follows:

1. Go to the bathroom.
2. Save your money.
3. Look it up.
try 'em. guaranteed applicable and effective.
4. Be open to suggestions.
5. Keep your eyes on your own paper.
6. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
7. "Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country." John F. Kennedy (1961)
8. Go to college.
9. Learn how to cook. *
10. Respect, respect, respect: the person you are with, how others want to be treated, and yourself (shouldn't this count as 3 Things?)
11. Know how to clean the bathroom. *
12. Put the toilet seat down. *
13. Stay active.
14. this is a long one, but worth it:
"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects." Robert A. Heinlein
15. Bring her flowers without her having to ask.*
16. Say "I love you" before he/she/they do.
17. Open doors for others.* Physically and metaphorically.
18. Read the Declaration of Independence.
19. Do not go shopping on major holidays. Salespeople should have the day off too.
20. Listen to Jim Croce: Never tug on Superman's cape...
21. Dance.
22. Wear sunscreen.
23. Never choose a girl/woman over your friends.
24. Learn how to do it right. And if you can't do it right, pay someone who knows how to do it right.
25. Do it right the first time.
26. Don't smoke. Except quality cigars on special occasions.
27. Do as I say, not as I do.
28. Lead by example.
29. Lead, Follow, or get the hell out of the way.

30. Turn on the water on a public sink verrrrrry carefully!
31. Shake well.
32. Save your money.
33. Then again, you can't take it with you.
34. Don't finish bad books.

* denotes came with some variation of "because chicks dig it"

Summer = Books

2009-07-07T21:49:00.000-07:00

Well, summer is supposed to equal studying and job searching, but all that just makes Jack a dull boy, right? And I do believe it is an official crime in SoCal to be indoors wasting these beautiful days, so it's essentially my civic duty to soak in the sun and read...

Updated a lot lately on TeacherDad's Books, although my "reviews" are getting more sparse and tepid each time... nonetheless, over here are a few (adult) recommendations for eyes and ears:

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

by Jane Austin and Seth Grahame-Smith

A literary "mash-up," a tale of manners and of flesh-eaters. Just started this one, but I'm already horrified, laughing out loud, and wanting to read Ms. Austin's original classic and Mr. G-S's next book Abe Lincoln, Vampire Slayer. Oh my.

Adrian Mole: The Cappuccino Years

by Sue Townsend

Keeping with an all-England theme, I suppose... read the first of the series a few weeks ago, when poor befuddled and beleaguered Adrian was an awkward teen. Now he's in his 30s, married, employed, a father; I shouldn't have read this without reading the books covering ages 15-29, but once started just couldn't stop. Still confusingly British, and dated (Princess Diana/Teletubbies), but hilarious and a quick, easy, between dips in the pool read...

Blue Box2 Finest Jazz Vocalists

4 CDs

From Ella to Cassandra, Chet Baker to Lou Rawls -- this set has some true classic gems, and is worth listening to in its entirety.

Where the Light Is
John Mayer Live in Los Angeles

I'm not a die-hard live music fan, would prefer to not have the yelling fans, witty banter, and muddled sound -- I like my tunes produced. But this one is awesome, both as live talent/skill (that guitar!) and as quality crafted songs...

And finally, this goofy thing came from CoverBrowser.com -- a great way to spend several hours, or to replace those stupid album cover choices iTunes sometimes puts in. The only link I've found so far to the music albums section is just putting "album" into the search, but there's a ton of comic and book stuff to keep one occupied...

1000 Important Things...

2009-07-07T11:37:00.000-07:00

Only 980 to go!

Posted this idea up on our Facebook page too, got some good suggestions... noticing that a lot of Important Things, from both male and female contributors, end with some variation of "... 'cause chicks like that."

post Two-oh-One

2009-06-29T21:20:00.000-07:00

Hey, pop the champagne! Just noticed the last post was a big round number: 200.
Too bad it wasn't anything dramatic or even remotely entertaining...

Began my Master's degree courses last week in Digital Learning/Teaching, and as research opened up Skype, Twitter, and a place called unhub.com that is supposed to help tie everything Internet together in one neat connectible package; what it got me to realize is that I have way too many different email accounts and user names and don't visit/use 80% of the sites I sign up with. I need to start eliminating the aliases and cryptic code names (except for on those sites where secrecy and anonymity is essential -- what if a potential employer found out I was a Padre fan?!?!?) and simplify my online life...

For example, do I need 6 blogs? One for student/substitute teaching stuff, 1 for book reviews, 1 for unreadable general ramblings (obviously this one). One for existential angst, queries and rants regarding my immortal soul, and one for motivational and thought-provoking quotes... get the point?

Skater Angel

2009-06-27T08:31:00.000-07:00

Mourning Michael

2009-06-25T16:48:00.001-07:00

seems like I only post here when someone famous passes away... maybe time to change the blog title? "Inspired? Or just creeped out by death?" maybe "...Or outta body experiences?" any suggestions?

anyway, Michael Jackson has been a thorn in my ears for a long time now -- listening now to the few songs I've allowed on my iTunes reveals the amazing talent, but it's hard to reconcile with the (are they still alleged?) criminal/creepiness charges. Not that Elvis was a saint, and Willie openly partakes in the finest of smoking products, but somehow it was different, and I had a hard time listening to his music.

For today though, an abbreviated playlist, set on repeat and cranked so I know it won't be long until the neighbors start throwing rocks. Or start up a block party/memorial soul train dance...

I Want You Back The Jackson 5
ABC The Jackson 5
The Love You Save The Jackson 5
I'll Be There The Jackson 5
Never Can Say Goodbye The Jackson 5
Santa Claus Is Coming to Town The Jackson 5
Off the Wall Michael Jackson
Rock With You Michael Jackson
Thriller Michael Jackson
Beat It Michael Jackson
Black or White Michael Jackson
Man In the Mirror Michael Jackson
P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) Michael Jackson
The Way You Make Me Feel Michael Jackson
Bad Michael Jackson
Remember the Time Michael Jackson

so this is what relaxed feels like...

2009-06-14T21:19:00.000-07:00

It's been too long, but having finished my last credential assignments this morning and the ginormous sigh of relief that followed just exhausted me for the entire day -- if I coulda convinced The Wife to bring my meals to the porch and feed me, I wouldn't have left the lounge chair all day.

As it is, despite having to get up and put my own food in my mouth, I managed to finish one good book and start on another --

The Adrian Mole Diaries -- poor confused Adrian, from age 13 3/4 to 15 and all the family, puberty, school, pimple issues he must face and survive. It's English, and I didn't find the glossary of British terms until the end of the book (the glossary, of course, being at the end of the book), but still quite hilarious. Thanks, Sis.

Catfish and Mandala -- a Vietnamese-American bicycles his way back to Viet Nam and his family's history. so far, so good.

also listening to a Sufjan Stevens (no, not the "Peace Train" guy) CD Come On Feel the Illinoise, which my sons thought was the strangest title ever. That and the paragraph-long song titles/sub-titles...

So what's a "GrooGrux" anyway???

2009-05-31T11:12:00.000-07:00

Having a hard time hearing the details over the Sunday morning cacophony of children and wife, but listening to the new Dave Matthews Band ...liking what I can hear of it, so far. I wasn't a big DMB fan in the beginning, I tend to avoid the "everybody's listening to this!" hype and see if the next big thing is still around a few albums later -- they are, and now I'm listening.

btw, Pandora or Slacker -- any preferences?

instant karma's gonna get ya...

2009-05-22T21:41:00.000-07:00

ya think?!?!?

2009-05-18T21:49:00.000-07:00

Super Bowl Star Rejects White House Visit: Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison has turned down the invitation to the White House, but not for political reasons. He thinks President Obama only invited the Steelers because they won the game. "This is how I feel -- if you want to see the Pittsburgh Steelers, invite us when we don't win the Super Bowl," Harrison told a local TV station. "As far as I'm concerned, he would've invited Arizona if they had won."

this just cracked me up...

2009-05-09T21:42:00.000-07:00

Yes, I realize no matter how great literature-based it is this is still a time-waster and I should be doing my lesson plans (haiku, anyone?) and the tons of homework left in the mere 5, count 'em 5!, weeks before I earn my credential, but as you can see by the length of this opening salvo I am all about the time wasting at this very moment which is why I'm listing inspirational quotes and thinking about whether The Giving Tree confuses or depresses me. *whew!*

But I digress; here are the questions and a few rough draft answers. Thanks to teacherninja and his always interesting blog.

1. What piece of literature has stayed with you, even though you haven't read it recently?

For some reason maybe only therapy can reveal, but more likely because they are instances of incredibly intense, powerful writing in equally wonderful books, 3 pieces of Lit that have stayed with me over the years all involve deaths:

John Updike's Rabbit, Run and the scene where the wife is drunk and drowns the baby... tears every time, I don't think I could finish when I tried reading it after having children.
Joseph Heller's Catch 22 has a few deaths, it is about war y'know, but when the guys are swimming and the pilot flies too low....
Toni Morrison in Beloved builds up the horror so much I knew what was coming and didn't want to read it but had to and was literally stunned. Just got goosebumps thinking about it.
Man, that's all I can do tonight. I want to go grab those books and thank them for the art they've given us...

2. What character or story has influenced something you've done?

3. What character or piece of literature seemed to relate to a recent news story or personal experience?

4. What character has made you wonder why he or she said/did something?

5. Name something from a work of literature that you (such as a character, setting or quotation) that you find beautiful or vivid.

R.I.P. Ernie Barnes

2009-05-03T19:41:00.000-07:00

The Zookeeper's Wife

2009-04-18T07:43:00.000-07:00

The Zookeeper's Wife

by Diane Ackerman (2007)

The "One Book, One San Diego" choice for 2009... I didn't realize it was non-fiction when I chose it from the stack; the story of a family and their Warsaw, Poland zoo during WWII, and how they not only survived but helped many Jewish families escape the Nazis. Well done, the horrors of war are reported without overdone drama and there is a very personal sense to the description of daily life under extremely stressful, unsettling conditions. And lots of cute stuff about animals. It does seem to drop in historical events, such as the Warsaw Uprising, without any prior mention or discussion, so background knowledge in the subject would help.

For some reason I've always had a soft spot for Poles and Jews, probably due to visiting the Dachau concentration camp and Anne Frank's house as a kid. I'm still mad at my sister for ruining a Polish flag shirt inspired by Lech Walesa that a girfriend had made me. grrrrr...
Now I need a good book on the Warsaw Underground and/or Uprising; will need to find Michener's Poland as well. Any suggestions?

...also read Swinging for the Fences, the inspirational life story of a local boy born with only one complete limb, who went to Notre Dame and works for the Padres.

Detention Slip Week

2009-04-14T10:45:00.000-07:00

Shark Week? pu-leeze... Courtesy of "Zero Out of Five" -- it's Detention Slip Week!

My "kids say the ~~darndest~~ most inappropriate things" moments in 5th grade caused me to bend, there was a slight smirk that briefly escaped, but not break:

After the Principal announced over the intercom that the mud and rain would mean no balls would be allowed outside during recess, a 10-year old female quipped "guess the boys have to stay inside" -- I was surprised, borderline shocked, but pretended I didn't hear her...

While discussing the difference between hearing and listening, one girl gave a real world example using one of her cute but disruptive classmates: "Well, when his 2nd wife is talking to him..." I know I shouldn't reward students for insulting each other, but her combination of concern and cleverness earned her extra reward tickets...

My Master Teacher nearly got me, and I know she was trying to, -- after reminder me of the Seinfeld "rectum, damn near killed him!" line she gave the students her pre-human biology body functions speech on being mature and respectful, repeating the word rectum so often I had to turn my back and thoroughly clean the bookshelves until she finished...

2009-04-14T10:30:00.000-07:00

it just feels like a 70's kind of day... it's actually a do some creative accounting and figure out a way to pay the taxes day, but I'm procrastinating.

(Don't Fear) The Reaper -- Blue Öyster Cult
Just a Song Before I Go -- Crosby, Stills & Nash
Stay With Me -- Faces
Golden Years -- David Bowie
Freddie's Dead -- Curtis Mayfield
It's A Shame -- The Spinners
Me and Bobby McGee -- Kris Kristofferson
Jaws -- John Williams
Go Your Own Way -- Fleetwood Mac
Boogie Shoes -- KC & the Sunshine Band

R.I.P. Mark Fidrych

2009-04-13T19:43:00.000-07:00

spring break

2009-04-11T19:52:00.000-07:00

too cold* for a ton of outdoor activity, so this has been a laid-back hang around the house vacation... cleared off my desk for the first time in years, redid my bookshelves so I can actually find what I'm looking for (and watch the Padres while I'm looking), read a book and a 1/2, bought a new camera that has me utterly and totally confused, and now turning attention to some much-neglected blogs: added a new-found quote ...

I know it looks small and cluttered, but compared to the mess it used to be...

I don't know how I skipped this one in my love of all things Chabon, but finally read The Yiddish Policemen's Union -- liked it of course, although the Yiddish terms/slang had me confused for several chapters (I kept checking the back of the book for a glossary)... and then in keeping with the Passover week Jewish theme, started The Zookeeper's Wife which I didn't realize was nonfiction. It's a little slow so far, but interesting, and it's the San Diego "One Book One City" choice for 2009 so I'll keep going...

*"too cold" means below 70 and cloudy in SoCal terms -- brrrrrr!

2009-04-04T09:20:00.000-07:00

Ahhhh... spring break. Not since I was 15 or so have I welcomed and appreciated this little slice of (relatively) free time -- I do have one assignment due today, and the credential program starts back up a week from Tues, but until them I'm hoping for sun, sun, and more sun (as well as son, son, and son: I miss my boys!)... we're taking the boards and books to the beach and just relaaaaaaaaxing...

This reminds me of my first Christmas without being in retail sales; after 20+ years of trying to just survive (and generate maximum profit) during the most "wonderful time of the year" it was nice to actually breathe in and enjoy the season.

let's see what "shuffle" has to get my sleeping uglies up and out of bed --

"In A Sentimental Mood" Duke Ellington
"Looking For James Joyce's Grave" Andy White
"Worse Comes To Worst" Billy Joel
"Grace" Moby
"To Love Somebody" Bee Gees
"Losing Keys" Jack Johnson
"You Know What She's Like" Derailers
"Real Love" Mary J. Blige
"Radio Free Europe" R.E.M.
"These Dreams of You" Van Morrison

Hey, I remember this joint! I used to hang out here all the time...

2009-03-28T20:06:00.000-07:00

Long time no post.

Back into the (unpaid) workforce, a few months shy of my credential, boys in basketball and badminton, so my only sporadic posts have been related to the joys of teaching 5th graders...

1st 10 of the random playlist of the evening:

Son Volt, "Too Early"
Page & Plant, "Friends"
The Clancy Brothers, "Whiskey, You're the Divil"
TP & the Heartbreakers, "Insider"
The Judds, "Have Mercy"
Moby, "South Side"
Van Morrison, "Ordinary Life"
John Prine, ""Silent Night All Day Long"
Bill Cosby, "The Apple"
Social D, "Drug Train"

Mmmm... coffeeee...

2009-02-16T09:37:00.000-08:00

No, I'm not complaining about having to get up every morning and go to work; I'm just saying there is an adjustment period, a transition from pajama-clad "Mr. Mom" to shaving daily and wearing a tie. I'll get through it, but there are a few aspects of the unemployed lifestyle I had grown accustomed to, and at certain moments during the school day I suddenly realize how much life has changed. For example...

regularly scheduled program -- if the clock catches my eye at a certain time, I'll blurt out "whoa! The View is almost over, I'd better get that laundry done before Judge Judy starts!"
blurting out -- it's not that I talked to myself a lot, that would be a sign of mental instability, but if I wanted to make fun of or chastise the cat, or sing, or merely voice random thoughts out loud just to keep my vocal cords in shape for when the boys came home, I could. In the classroom, speaking out loud those random thoughts apropos of nothing is frowned upon. Something about modeling, setting a good example... whatever.
music -- had to push the Mute button on the soundtrack to my life; laundry day had its playlist, paying bills its playlist, eating all the leftovers from The Pancake House so the boys didn't know we went out to breakfast without them had its soundtrack...
coffee -- and eating/drinking/snacking/stealing from the boys' Valentine candy stash any time I had the urge; apparently, having a cup of joe and a box of 'Nila Wafers on the teacher's desk that could be knocked over through absolutely no fault of my own is not how to make a good impression on a Principal stopping by...
and the number 1 thing I miss from my life as a stay-at-home Dad: my bathroom. Do you know how hard it is to not only wait for the only free minute between recess and library when no students are clinging and no teachers are talking but to find a restroom without 12-15 women clustered around in the very near vicinity???

A handwritten blog?

2009-02-06T19:29:00.000-08:00

Okay, this is one of the coolest things I've seen in a while-- http://backspace.blog.me.uk/about

"Outlaw Pete"

2009-01-29T21:59:00.000-08:00

Listening to Springsteen's latest CD; not bad, not bad at all, with elements of each of his last two albums, so there's thoughtful seriousness and there's simple good times. There's also just plain silliness: "Surprise, Surprise" ?!?!?!? If he sings this crap at halftime I'm pulling Born to Run out of its frame and replacing it with Elephunk.

Top 10 Albums*
Abbey Road The Beatles
Avalon Sunset Van Morrison
The Best of... Earth, Wind & Fire**
The Memphis Record Elvis Presley
Tunnel of Love Bruce Springsteen
The Miseducation of... Lauryn Hill
Pleased to Meet Me The Replacements
New Miserable Experience Gin Blossoms
Music for the Morning After Pete Yorn
The Vegetarians of Love Bob Geldof
*based more on my listening habits and taste than on any critical evaluation
**quite possibly the first album I ever bought; if not, it was 2nd after The Commodores Greatest Hits

2009-01-25T08:05:00.000-08:00

My new favorite mom/writer/DNA-sequencer/LEGO-builder ...

Ima gonna be a Teacher!

2009-01-23T12:23:00.000-08:00

I start my student teaching in February, and, surprise surprise, feel the urge to share with my 2 friends and countless strangers via the internet my thoughts and pearls of wisdom on how I can save the entire field of education, one third grader at a time.

So please come over here and follow my adventures. Or lay down odds on how soon I'll get pegged with an eraser.

Ideas and suggestions, including a new title, always welcome!

update: changed the title, and accidentally on purpose changed the address too (sorry. probably lost both my loyal readers)...

Do "FaceBook Anonymous" meetings have virtual donuts?

2009-01-22T11:47:00.000-08:00

"Hello, my name is (your name here)*, and I am addicted to FaceBook."

Okay, so I'm not really addicted addicted, as in I cannot possibly stop. I could stop, any time I wanted. It's just that these multitudes of names, names of every person in my high school class, names of every person I worked with (oh wait, did I fire that guy?) and the names of every girl I ever had a crush on (hey, just thought of another one!), keep appearing in my head like a giant phone book being constantly flipped open to the various letters and scanned for any names I recognize.

I think at this point I'm just making up names, combining vague recollections of several people into one, and wondering why no one replies to my "Hey, remember me?" request for Friendship. I have found a couple of people I know, or knew, and want to keep our relationship in the past tense. And I have found a few ex-girlfriends that I don't want to bother, I want to let them try to move on with their lives, so I'll simply check their profile and stare at the screen for a few minutes... or so... every day. Twice. An hour. But that's not really "cyber-stalking" or whatever that latest FBI federal injunction paperwork said. Whatever. (just kidding, Stargirl)

Besides, I have other addictions, more real-world addictions, as evident by my ever-expanding pants size. And I have had other computer-related obsessions, so I know they all fade away eventually, and soon I can emerge from the stupor, shower and shave, re-introduce myself to the family, and move on with my life. Age of Empires (I can still hear the music in my head). Scrabbulous. Napster. LibraryThing (Yes, honey, I most certainly DO need every single book in the entire house stacked around my desk, by author, genre, ISBN number, and publication date!). Blogger.

Anyway, when you do get a "be my friend" ~~beg~~ request from me at 2:30 in the morning (I know, I know, you're checking on your stocks and only accidentally accessed your FB account) -- just ignore me.

*are we done with the anonymity, the faux cool or nonsensical user names? I kind of like the 1970's CB radio vibe from all the identity-masking screen names... Roger, RubberDuck34219, over and out!

President Barack Obama invades my mind at 2am...

2009-01-20T01:49:00.000-08:00

I don't know if it's the 6pm Rockstar or the 9am Coronation, but my mind is racing and I cannot sleep. It's after midnight and that muse with insomnia has inspired some thoughts. She did not guarantee coherence though, but when the sun comes up tomorrow a lot of editing will be due...

When was the last time you were excited about, much less arranged your schedule to watch, a Presidential Inauguration?

When was the last time you were excited about a President?

...you looked forward to a speech?
...we were ONE nation -- under God, under stress, under-achieving, yet understanding we are stronger and better when we are together.*
...a President was not just on 50 magazine covers on the shelves, but also t-shirts without rude puns, games and puzzles, children's picture books? Cereal aisle, make room for the best selling Wheaties box of all time...
When was the last time I used paper and pen to write more words than a grocery list?

Why do we deify the man (my bad: The Man) before he even gets to sit as his new desk? Our adoration and anticipation is unlike our usual pop culture driven manner, to raise someone high in order to sit back and watch the spectacularly crushing and devastating fall -- usually on YouTube. No, we really, really, want Barack Obama to stay on that pedestal. We want and need him to exceed our expectations, if that's even possible, for him to pin our hopes high and then hold us up so we can actually reach them. Americans thrive on confidence, on momentum that carries through a tough stretch in the schedule. Obama is going to need those People magazine-able basketball abs and broad shoulders, because he may age quicker and deeper than any President -- the weight on his heart, his brow, his carry-a-nation back will gray his hair and line his face before our hope-filled eyes.

Barack Obama has more hyperbole draped over him than bunting on the Capital, but how soon will it fade? We don't want him to fail. But we don't need him to be FDR + JFK = Lincoln with good looks and the black vote, we just need him to stay the (true) course, to maintain our national values, as insanely diverse and diametrically opposed as some of them they may seem. We need him to hold us to our "that's what makes America great" creed: work hard, move forward, look out for each other, take pride. We need him to uphold our ideas even if everything doesn't turn around overnight, from worst-to-first in a Cinderella story first 100 days. Our nation needs to be lead so it can stop focusing on our failures (don't just blame Bush: he was ours, so his are ours, and always will be) and prime our attention on present and future successes. We have always followed our leaders closely, in that when they looked back over their shoulders we were right there, breathing the same air.

Moses. The Saviour. The Change. The Dream Fulfilled. There have been more capital letters used in describing and defining Obama then when listing Michael's Jordan's MVPs,** which is appropriate, given the hoops, the Chicago, the age****, and the iconic smile connecting the two. In more ways than one Barack Obama can become our first Presidential "superstar" -- while Clinton played the pop star, bringing a sense of cool to the White House lacking since, and decidedly, generationally, different than, the Kennedy reign, Obama has the Jordan-esque swagger, the detached, confident cool that can lead his team not just through the tough times but through all opposition to the trophy presentation. But never forget, he is a politician. And a ~~damn good~~ great one, so far, to get where he is, when he is, causing the cynic in me to temper the blind faith. Please, Mr. President, no cigars. Or interns. Or attempts to save the world for Jesus and Oil Conglomerates by eliminating a tyrannical dictator and his democracy-threatening weapons.

Mr. Obama, the words to describe why I am scribbling at 2am***** and eagerly anticipating your Presidency can be read as trite, generic, even devoid of real meaning. But you and I can still use these words and lend them the weight they need to stand out in our bleak, strained world, the credence required to be heard above the din of all other words and be repeated by an exponentially increasing collection of voices: Hope. Change. Together.

*In 2001 of course: The country at its most shocked and grievous, President Bush at his most Presidential, all bonded in a singular, searing moment.
** Five. So 5 x 3, plus 6 in the Finals... why am I doing the math, it's a metaphor!***
*** Simile?
**** The President is only 2 years older than MJ. But is 2 years younger than expatriate ex-King of Pop MJ, who is 50!
***** ...and typing, not very well i'm sure, at 3:21. goodnight.

dry rice chex?

2009-01-19T22:24:00.000-08:00

Oh lordy, I hope not --

My professors seem to be leaving a lot out...

Jerry Seinfeld used to teach High School History?

2009-01-19T15:01:00.000-08:00

Maybe I'll switch to being a History teacher -- looks easy!

2009-01-19T08:19:00.000-08:00

ay yi yi... part of the blame as to why I'm so far behind on homework-- these books accidentally fell into the boys' backpack at the library. What's a responsible parent to do, but make sure my children are not exposed to inappropriate reading material?

Rock On is an account of a music-loving advertising dude getting to work for a major record label, and finding it's not all his rock 'n roll fantasy thought it would be... funny, great insights on business/corporate world, and the commercial aspect of music. Did I mention funny?

Michael Chabon (Kavelier & Clay, Wonder Boys) is one of my favorite authors. Maps and Legends is essays and commentaries, a bit autobiographical, touching on comic books, parents, marriage, Jewish-ness, and of course, gollems. Much recommended, and as with his Gentlemen on the Road I did read with one hand holding the book and one hand thumbing through the dictionary...

When You Are Engulfed in Flames is up to Sedaris' usual funny-ness, the part about being too sick to move getting me banished to the couch one night... He is no longer struggling to find himself or make it in the world, so these stories are more middle-aged, full of travel and domestic life; he does revisit childhood and his family, which is still a goldmine...

Dread, part 3

2009-01-17T19:30:00.000-08:00

As I sit here typing this instead of my final case study (unstarted, due in 4 days) I do get that ol' familiar "sense of doom" -- but been there, done that, haven't gotten too much done in my life that wasn't put off 'til the last minute and up against a deadline.

So it's something different this time. It's something heavier, deeper, something that keeps getting turned away from. But just like that preposition at the end of the sentence, it's THERE; I can't ignore it, I can't move on. I've always taken pride in myself as a shallow person -- easy going, no drama, let it roll off my back and the sun'll come up tomorrow....

Maybe it's impending mortality. Maybe it's the other side of mortality. Maybe it's one of my mother's premonitions, the extra sense passed down and yet dormant all these years. I've had periods of my life filled with the fear of terrible things happening; everyone's wondered if an ex-spouse would die in a car crash, haven't they? No?

Hmmm.... Or this just a bit too much to share in cyberspace? Should I knock on wood or spectaclestesticleswallet&watch ? Have I doomed myself, or others, by confessing my sense of dread? Should I let sleeping dogs lie, or in this case, dieing dogs sleep?

should I learn how to spell "dieing"? that never looks right...

If she goes, he goes...

2009-01-17T19:06:00.000-08:00

Not that this is an admission of guilt, or anything close to premeditation, but if The Wife ever goes missing there will be one clear sign that points to me as the guilty party: if that damn cat is nowhere to be found, I did it.

2-for-1 deal, buy 1-get 1 whacked at no extra charge -- whatever coupon I can find or deal offered on craig's list, if it includes disposing of a crap-droppin', couch-barfin', window-lickin', dandruff fur-sheddin' lazy fat ass of a cat, I'm reaching for the checkbook.

Dread, part 2

2009-01-14T08:34:00.000-08:00

Maybe it's all the Unborn or Bloody Valentine ads that seem to be all over the TV lately, or the inverse relationship between the closer I get to looking for a job and the amount of imminent budget cuts, layoffs and school closings, or the weight of so many procrastinated assignments due next week...

But still...

Doom, Disaster, or just Misfortune?

2009-01-12T08:59:00.001-08:00

Pittsburgh 35, Chargers 24

Ok, maybe that was it. I'm not an "end of the season, end of the world" kinda guy, so as far as unfortunate events that one is certainly survivable. Overcome-able. Shrug off-able.

But what if that wasn't "it"?

"It" being the sense of impending bad coming my way. Just an anticipation, like knowing the doorbell is about to ring right before it does, or heading for the kitchen right before the timer goes off. Don't know if it's a big bad or a little bad, a personal bad or global bad, but it's out there, waiting for me, getting ready for me....

all-time top 10

2009-01-05T17:13:00.000-08:00

Here's the one that needs a little editing... and yeah, the easy choice is kick Hall & Oates to the curb, but don't pretend you didn't groove to those sweet harmonies back in the day!

"Ticket To Ride" The Beatles (1965)
"The Letter" The Box Tops (1967)
"Can't Find My Way Home" Blind Faith (1969)
"She's Gone" Hall & Oates (1973)
"Samba Pa' Ti" Santana (1974)
"Jungleland" Bruce Springsteen (1975)
"Telephone Line" ELO (1979)
"Bad" U2 (1984)
"Skyway" Replacements (1987)
"It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over" Lenny Kravitz (2000)
"The Middle" Jimmy Eat World (2001)
"Maybe Tomorrow" Stereophonics (2003)

uh-oh... no Tom Petty? no Van Morrison? Angie Stone? Gonna have to work on this list...

my musical obsession

2009-01-04T22:06:00.000-08:00

I tell the boys, more times than they care to hear I'm sure, If you're going to do something, do it right -- that's my justification for spending gazigllions of hours the past few weeks obsessing over my iTunes. My "problem" (as my iTherapist insists I call it) started when I began putting songs into decade playlists -- the 60's, 80's, etc. -- and noticing the years listed for many songs didn't match the original release date of the song/album, but were for the remastered re-issue, or the greatest hits album, or whatever. But that simply will not do, so I had to go through and change the dates, which involved a lot of research on that bastion of reliable knowledge, Wikipedia, and various other music-related sites to cross check and verify information. On the one hand I felt like I was wasting a ton of time and energy, on the other hand I convinced myself it was necessary for historical accuracy and good research practice for future educational endeavors...

And since it is the turn of the years and time for "best of" lists, I put together a few of my own Top 10 collections -- trouble is I can't count, and need to make some cuts to actually have 10 songs on my top 10 lists...

Top 10 Songs of 2008 (really not in any particular order)
"See These Bones" Nada Surf
"Dig, Lazerus, Dig" Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
"Troublemaker" Weezer
"Gravedigger" Willie Nelson
"Viva La Vida" Coldplay
"Alligator" Foxboro Hot Tubs
"Dirty City" Steve Winwood featuring Eric Clapton
"I Will Possess Your Heart" Death Cab for Cutie
"Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?" She & Him
"27 Jennifers" Mike Doughty
some of those might be from '07, but I can be a little slow to pick up on things... any you like that I missed and need to give a listen to? Let me know...

Luddite.com?

2009-01-04T20:16:00.000-08:00

I'm seriously considering chucking this hunk of plastic and wires off the roof -- computers, who needs 'em? I tried joining the Luddites, but couldn't find their website...

But no, I'm back, back in the saddle again -- got the new hard drive (see: "The Crash of '08"), stayed up into the wee hours replacing, organizing, refining all that was lost in the crash, starting with the top priorities of all priorities: iTunes!

Homework? Bills? Christmas shopping? Puh-leeze! gotta get those playlists and album cover art just perfect, or nothing else in this world matters much...

So of course after getting everything set up I download some vital HP update and the whole deal freezes and refuses to do anything except let me attempt to repair it the wrong way, resulting in a 100% resetting back to the beginning, as in when I first took this thing out of its box -- a nice message popped up "Congratulations on your new purchase!" So I started all over yet again...

"Mi no save"

2008-12-03T14:45:00.000-08:00

"I don't understand" in 250 languages...

I guess "Do you have to pee?" would be another important one to print out...

Appraising Teachers

2008-12-03T11:48:00.000-08:00

A gracious and wise woman recently said "teaching is as much of an art as a science, and how do you measure art?"

Well, I suppose we could follow the lead of the art world* and hold auctions, sending teachers off to work for the highest bidder. Schools and communities that value specific traits in their educators would concentrate their money on building a collection, for example a staff of disciplinarians drilling facts and dates, or motivational gurus pumping up test-taking abilities, or grandmotherly types praising Mikey's creative side while he licks glue off his hand...

Ah, but we're going nation-wide here with NCLB and all that, so no one is able to agree not only on what makes a good teacher** but what schools are for in the first place.

Teaching is an art. Great teachers are artists. But that doesn't preclude teachers from the quality performance rubric, they still must be evaluated and deemed worthy of caring for and shaping and helping to build our children into adults. We use "artist" as one of the highest compliments; one can elevate a skill or talent in any field to an art -- an auto mechanic, the weekend barbecue-er, wide receivers and batting champions, even some scientist cultivating genomes in a lab somewhere has heard from a colleague "Man, the way you handle those beakers, you are a true artist!"

Great teaching is an art, and great teachers need to be paid commensurate with their talents and value to society, which is almost immeasurable -- how many children did Terrell Owens*** have a life-long effect on today? Good teachers working hard to become great deserved the support and time and money to hone their craft...

oops, gotta go! to be cont'd...?

*I could have used livestock auctions as an example, but the metaphor breaks down when we get into the whole animal husbandry aspect, doesn't it...
**2nd un-used simile of the post: good teaching is like pornography, I know it when I see it? Didn't a Supreme Justice say that once?
***link does NOT go to anything T.O. related, but to an amazing student-athlete -- can you say 1st round draft choice neurosurgeon?

Wordle

2008-12-01T22:30:00.000-08:00

Ok, very cool... found this courtesy of Bonnie -- just put in your text and it gets all creative on ya...

It's called Wordle , and you can click on my picture then on my pseudonym and see what I did instead of homework for several hours tonight...

I don't recommend jumping their homepage with small children, or large immature ones either, since nimrods like to play with bad words...

Rhee Rocks!

2008-11-30T08:36:00.000-08:00

Accountability? Being responsible for one's actions?

Being good, not just being there, gets a pay raise?

I have a new hero, and she's kickin' ass without wasting time to take names in Washington DC schools!

This week's TIME magazine has an article on Michelle Rhee* firing bad teachers and offering huge pay increases to eliminate tenure -- tenure?!? -- who else has a job that's extremely safe, no matter how bad you are or how little you care to put into it, solely based on the fact that you survived the first few years? We don't even let our Presidents hang around warm and secure just because they've received a paycheck for a specific amount of time...

Now I don't want to talk too much out of my place, not even being a rookie teacher yet (plus I should read the article again -- I may have missed a few key points amidst my "amens!" and "git 'em girl!" shout outs) but why do people have a problem with getting paid based on performance? If you are good at what you do, what are you worried about? And if you're a bad teacher, as a citizen and parent and colleague I don't have one single minute to waste by allowing you to continue working with my children. If you're a bad teacher, retail is always hiring....

*not to confused with Michelle Yeoh, Goddess of the Silver Screen

The Crash of '08

2008-11-26T13:22:00.000-08:00

The hard drive, just like my chorizo burrito-addled heart will someday, came crashing to a grinding, screeching, obliterating stop.

So the bad, and expensive, news is it had to be replaced.

More bad news: I only backed up my photos and iTunes, so all else is gone, gone, gone...

Good news: reinstalled the iTunes, bad news: did it twice and now have doubled every single song...

good news: get to make all new playlists while deleting those doubled every single song...

ok, I knew I had Inka Dinka Do but what about...*

Rapid Roy (The Stock Car Boy) ?
Fly Trapped In A Jar ?
Bom Bom Bom ?
Sheep ?
The Cannonball Run Theme ?
Lunch Box/Odd Sox ?
She came in Through the Bathroom Window ?
I Love You, You Imbecile ?

*a free book from my shelves if you can sing 'em all...

Things I should stop doing soon so I don't regret not stopping sooner...

2008-11-16T22:11:00.000-08:00

eating so much -- despite still looking good, I've gotta be up over 220, and the kids are going to be curious about their Halloween candy bags any day now. Shoot, at the rate I'm going they'll soon be curious about the cat...
saying "whatever you want, my love" -- she either hates it and we ~~argue~~ mis-communicate in sarcastic tones or she says "ok" and we end up wandering through another *%#@$&in' mall...
watching Dexter -- when that evil entity called Netflix sends a season's worth of discs, do we have to watch them in one sitting? in the dark? until it's very late at night? and very dark? Confessions of a wimp (I prefer "more sophisticated and culturally evolved"): I avert my eyes when the cellophane comes out...
random blogs -- 90% I can't read due to language difficulties, as in they ain't in English, 10% I shouldn't read, as in I can't hit the back button quick enough, and the other 10% never reply to my utterly witty comments...
making lists -- letting my mind wander when I should be studying. Or eating. Or making sure that guy from Dexter isn't hiding behind the couch...

2008-11-04T12:49:00.000-08:00

cool website (but dorky graphics) with tons of power points for lesson plans, or for using at home for homework help/making your kids do extra work to make 'em smarter...

if I didn't do the link right, this is it: http://www.pppst.com/

Redemption vs. Election

2008-11-03T19:24:00.000-08:00

Just had a nice couple on the doorstep, the type I usually brusquely remind about private property and trespassing laws. But since the she of the couple was mildly cute, I let her talk a minute and invite us to church. Alas, when opening the screen door to get her pamphlet, the daily cascade of voting placards* landed at their feet and I asked "did ya vote yet?" --

Awkward silence.

They stammered a bit and said no, they were more concerned with my eternal soul and the end of the world. They did want to see the right Propositions pass (no gay marriage being the big one), but always left it to God's will.

When they asked why we didn't go to our regular church anymore, I told them it was because no one there ever voted...

*thanks, Slim + meriam-webster.com

2008-10-30T21:27:00.000-07:00

When the inevitable question was posed, Who's fixing dinner? instead of the usual spousal debate, all I had to say was:

"43 6th graders"

No, not all day, in the same room at the same time.

...

update 10/31:

Sorry for the incoherent grammar-deficient post*. In an effort to appease one of my 1/2 dozen readers is the following presentation of Who's Fixing Dinner II, The Clarification Edition:

When the inevitable, as in always, predictably due to being creatures of habit and in need of sustenance for our physical bodies, every night around 5-ish in the evening, sometimes earlier if we did the brunch thing or later if we had a late lunch down at the mall or if the boys, one or both or even all three, had practice that evening, question was posed, Who's fixing dinner?, or some variation of the query, including but not limited to What are you making, what's in the fridge, what do you have planned, where are you taking me, and sometimes, but rarely I have a little cash, instead of the usual spousal debate (transcript of actual debate, repeated countless times word for word, so help me God and ask my children if you don't believe me because they plan on having it engraved on our headstones:

She: So, who's fixing dinner (or some variation, see above)?
Me: What would you like?
She: What do you want?
Me (sweetly, with nothing but the desire to make her happy shining in my eyes and dripping from my voice): Whatever you want, my love.
She: What do you want?
Me (with only the satisfaction of her desires in mind and heart): Whatever you want, my love.
She: What are my choices?
Me: What do you feel like having?
She: I dunno, what do you want?
Me (while looking desperately at my sons, hoping one of the boys does something even remotely wrong so I can thump him upside the head and with one thump conceivably accomplish two goals, the first of which is to take out my frustration on a kid who probably deserves a thump anyway, I just haven't found out what he's done yet, and secondly to disrupt the inane conversation long enough that She actually tells me what she wants for dinner, or looks away for long enough for me to escape): Aaaaaahhhhh!!!!!!

...all I had to say was:

"43, as in more than double 20, which is more than plenty already, thank you very much, 6th graders, the kind of children between the ages of 10 - 11 with the beginnings of puberty's hormonal rushing chaos sprouting up somewhere deep inside, unbeknownst to most of them, unless their parents bought them a book or they are allowed to watch 2 1/2 Men"

No, lucky me, not all day, in one room because unfortunately I could not lock half of them outside the room, at the same time, as in at the same with me, otherwise I would not have been witness to this 7th level of hell.

....

Then again, there is Who's Fixing Dinner? The (censored) Uncensored Edition:

When the inevitable question was posed, What the %&$#%'s for dinner? Instead of the usual spousal debate all I had to say was:

"40 %$#$-3 %$#&^ 6th %&^$#@# graders in 1 %$&&# room!

"Oh yeah, "Mr &%$#@^ Mom" without a %$&*^ job for 2 &%$%^# years while I've worked my &%%$#@ off, get your %^%$# in the kitchen!"

....

(ed note: he would never talk to The Wife that way, nor she him. although she does give mighty powerful glares. and if he did ever talk to her that way, you'd all be on Travelocity right now comparing prices of flights out west, and dusting off your somber black outfit.

*after all, they were 6th graders. 43 of 'em

Aaaahhhhh... (as in a sigh of relief)

2008-10-24T19:21:00.000-07:00

as in, raise a few Heinekens to salute and commemorate my first (successful, if I do say so myself) substitute teaching assignment (or to use the preferred parlance: "guest teacher")...

No Child Left Behind? All I was worried about was no child left out on the playground, no child hiding under a desk, no child locked in the classroom for the weekend when I locked the door...

I must have had the deer-in-the-headlights look, since the teacher explained the lesson step by step, slowly and with small words, and then covered the textbook, her desk, and my tie in friendly reminder post-it notes. When she started sticking notes to each kids' forehead, I had to reassure and boot her out the door...

oops, gotta Lego emergency* -- to be cont'd

so anyway... the day went well. I choked a little when she told me after the math lesson I was teaching Sign Language, but luckily that consisted of popping in a video (and yes, she went over the incredible complex operation of this new-fangled contraption called a dee-vee-dee player step... by step... by step...). I wasn't sure if I was supposed to turn all the lights out on a room full of 7 year olds, but they were quiet and I'd just started to relax when they all instantaneously burst into song with the deaf kids in the show-- good thing my "holy *%#@&!!" was drownded out by the squeaky voice choir. Next came the clean-up song, chairs up, and they were out the door!

*y'know, when you can't find that one little piece to complete the Temple of the Crystal Skull, or something like that, so a complete all-out full-scale end-of-the-world melt-down is in order until Dad finds the brick stuck to the back of your sweaty, grimey little leg? Yeah, that kind.

poor bambi...

2008-10-16T11:32:00.000-07:00

This is funny and scary: President Sara Palin ...

some things you should click on more than once, i.e. the door, then double-check to make sure you're registered to Vote!

2008-08-24T21:46:00.000-07:00

It's been a good summer -- nothing dramatic or exciting, no travel and no visitors... a time to recharge the batteries before the hustle and bustle of fall begins:

1 High Schooler (cell phones and social life + grades do count!), 1 Middle Schooler (dances and French girls + sex education!), and 1 2nd grader (still the baby, but when did he get so tall?!?)

Grad School, How to be a Teacher 101 (5 hours a night, twice a week?) and attempting to be a substitute teacher -- I know, I know, you're supposed to do the learning part efore trying it in the real world, but I (and numerous credit departments) am impatient -- and now all those catch-phrases I spouted off as Boss/Dad come back to haunt me ("learn by doing" "no whinin', keep tryin'" "what doesn't kill you...")

football practice, better known as how to drive yourself insane by teaching 6-yr olds a fake reverse (and keep their mouthpieces in their own mouths at the same time)

The Wife + the new TV season, as she attempts to maintain "our" time after all else is done and in bed (I can't even escape by checking the Padres' score upstairs, since it's a pretty safe bet their losing. again.)

and Christmas is right around the corner...

Reading List

2008-06-09T19:49:00.001-07:00

Legerdemain by James J. Heaphey (2008)

"Legerdemain" (not a word that rolls easily off the tongue...) means sleight of hand, a display of clever skill for deceitful purposes.

Cold War/Middle East military historical memoir... a recollection of espionage activity and political turmoil in post-WWII Morocco -- wasn't sure I would like this at first, not much of a modern history/warfare fan, but there was enough history (Nazis, Anwar Sadat) and it certainly relates well to the muddle of the Middle East (including Western involvement) today, and it's done in a fast-paced style that kept me involved. Some romance, some moral ambiguity, some violence, a little danger and drama, a good read.

A mark of a good book in my eyes is leaving me wanting to get more information about the subject and situation, and "Legerdemain" has piqued my curiosity in regards to Morocco, North Africa during WWII, and the more modern history of Egypt.

2008-06-02T12:14:00.000-07:00

America America

2008-05-28T11:23:00.000-07:00

America America

by Ethan Canin

Small town New York boy becomes involved with a wealthy family (with 2 daughters!) and presidential politics (cover ups, Nixon!) and deals with his changing family and personal life...

Some books I can pick up and read at anytime or anywhere, such as waiting for The Wife to run errands or in between switching loads of laundry -- in contrast, America America demanded and deserved my undivided attention, not for its complexity or density but because it is the type of story that draws the reader in and sweeps away the outside world as you read. It is a book for a quiet place, a chair and a drink, and the time to meet and learn about and be involved with the characters as their story, their life, unfolds. I found this a beautifully written story, with touching familial relationships, intriguing personalities -- some of which I wanted explored further, but I also appreciate the author's dedication to his primary storyline -- and an emotional twist that literally made me pause and look away from the page for a few minutes... It is also a book that leads to further reading (or recollecting, depending on your age) regarding the political landscape circa 1970-72.

Highly recommended.

Thank you!

2008-05-01T10:47:00.000-07:00

(imagine a sentimental over-emoted sappy ballad, Celine Dion or Air Supply maybe, playing softly in the background...)

Now that classes are over it's time to catch my breath*, unwind a little, and look back on the past several years and appreciate those that made it all possible, to give thanks and credit where it is truely due...

There is especially one who deserves the utmost recognition and special attention, who was my rock, my right hand, my support and my strength; I absolutely would not have made it through the late nights and the hectic mornings, or handled the hectic last minute panics without her...

Yesterday, she received some long overdue one-on-one time, an afternoon devoted solely to her needs and desires, to showering her with the care and affection she deserves... I spent a long time attending to cracks and curves like I hadn't done it far too long, and then while I thought I might rub her raw, she had a sparkle and shine that reflected my affection and appreciation...

After I finished, tired yet satisfied, I was just as proud of her as I know she is of me...

I love you, Krupsie, thank you for being there for me...

*I know, I know -- it's actually time to GET A JOB but one cannot blindly wildly rush into these things... I'm not sure I'm ready, I mean what if I've forgotten how to shave? Tie a tie? Who knows if I even have pants that fit my fat lazy ass?

School's Out!

2008-04-29T13:28:00.000-07:00

(I need a little Alice Cooper singalong right about now...)

I think I'm a fraction taller today,
walking with a bit more purpose in my stride,
might even be, if it's possible, just a little bit better looking...

I know I'm smarter.
I know what's happened, and why to whom and when,
I am now aware of how everything works,
and why it doesn't when it doesn't,
or if it can't, or just won't.

I can read faster and smarter,
I can undangle participles and label particles,
classify, justify, simplify, glorify, demystify,
and GoogleWikipediacutandpaste-ify...

I am new and improved, ready and willing,
capable, competent, qualified.
I can laugh louder and last; I can love longer, and last.
I am now able to check more boxes on surveys and
fill in more lines on applications --

and I have the paper to prove it:*

I am a college graduate.

*well, not technically in my hands, they have to mail it to me...